Indexible multiple spindle head for drilling machines



Jan 30, 1934. L. SCHAUER INDEXIBLE MULTIPLE SPINDLE HEAD FOR DRILLING MACHINES Filed Sept. 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l mam @M'm YA A5444 Jan. 30, 1934. L SCHAUER 1,945,084

INDEXIBLE MULTIPLE SPINDLE HEAD FOR DRILLING MACHINES Filed Sept. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 anve/wbm E151 @l tbowmao Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE INDEXIBLE MULTIPLE SPINDLE HEAD FOR DRILLING MACHINES Ohio Application September 22, 1931 Serial No. 564,293

4 Claims.

To meet the requirements of present day methods of manufacture, machine tools must be capable of attaining maximum production with minimum effort on the part of the operator. Therefore, it has become common practice to equip single spindle machine tools, such for example as drilling machines, with multiple toolheads so that a plurality of machining operations may be performed simultaneously in the time previously required to perform a single operation. To facilitate the work of the operator and also to expedite production, drilling machines have been provided with vertically adjustable radial arms, capable of being swung horizontally about a supporting column, and a drill head carrying a suitable tool spindle has been translatably mounted on said arm. These movements of the arm and head provide universal adjustment of the tool spindle whereby an operator quickly and easily may perform drilling operations anywhere over a relatively great area of a workpiece at a single setting thereof on the work-support of the machine.

This invention has for an object to render available a construction in which it is possible to utilize all the advantages of a multiple-drill head in combination with all the advantages of a radial arm drilling machine.

It will readily be perceived that if a multiple drill-head of conventional form be attached to the tool-head of a radial drill in the conventional manner and the arm be swung in an are about the column, the angular position of the drills with respect to the work-piece will be changed.

An object of this invention is to provide improved means whereby a radial drilling machine may be utilized, by successive operations, to drill in a work-piece, a plurality of parallel rows of holes by a single row of drills carried by a multiple drill-head. This object has been attained by providing an improved mount for the multiple drill-head whereby it may be adjusted angularly relative to its support to counteract or compensate for the change in angular position due to the swinging movement of the radial arm.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved indexing means for a multiple drillhead whereby the head readily may be indexed in predetermined amounts such as may be required, after a swinging movement of the radial arm of predetermined amount, to reposition a row of drills parallel to a previously drilled row of holes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide improved means for balancing the weight of the multiple drill-head which will not interfere with the indexing movements of the head on its support.

Other objects and advantages will be in part indicated in the following description and in part rendered apparent therefrom in connection with 0 the annexed drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend the underlying features hereof that they may embody the same in the various ways contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred typical construction have been annexed as a part of this disclosure and, in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a radial drilling machine embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the radial arm and the drill head thereon, showing, in dotted lines, various angular positions of the arm and main tool-head, and indicating the various angular positions of the multiple tool-head to compensate for the angular adjustment of the arm, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the main drill head and the auxiliary multiple tool-head carried thereby. Fig. 4 isan enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of the lower portion of the main tool head and the multiple tool-head supported thereon.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a radial drill comprising a base B, an upright column C supported thereon, a sleeve S rotatably journaled on the column, a radial arm A vertically adjustable on the sleeve, and a main drill head H supported on the arm and movable horizontally therealong.

Within the drill head there is rotatably and translatably mounted a spindle 1, common to radial drills. The head also contains mechanism (not shown) for transmitting to the spindle rotary and axial movements from any suitable source of power, such for example, as a motor M mounted on a rearward extension of the arm. These elements are all conventional and, therefore, detailedil-lustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

As hereinbefore stated, this invention relates to the provision of an auxiliary multiple toolhead whereby rotation and translation of the main spindle 1 simultaneously may effect the drilling of a plurality of holes in a work-piece, and so to support the auxiliary tool-head that it may be moved angularly relative to the main too1-- head to compensate for angular movement of the no arm A about the column C. This is attained as will now be described.

To the underside of the head ii, there is secured, as by bolts 2, a br clret 3 having outwardly projecting portions le-4 and a central hub 5 supporting a bearing 6 for the lower free end of the spindle l. The portions l -4 of the bracket are formed with arcuate bearing surfaces 7 7 to which are fitted the ends 8 respec' Within the meaning and range of equivtively of a plate 8 journaled on the up 5 of the bracket, coaxial with the spindle l. he plate 8 constitutes an adjustable support for auxiliary multiple spindle tocl-head X later to be described. The bearing surfaces T -fl may be formed integral with the bracket 3 but preferably they will be provided by separate members 9 and 10 secured to the portions 4 and 4 of the bracket,

as by bolts 11.

Secured to the plate 8, and projecting down wardly therefrom are three vertically arranged guide rods e, f and g upon which are slidingly fitted bearings h, i and 9 formed integral with the head X. Coil springs 12, surrounding the rods 6, f and g and arranged intermediate the lower ends of the bearings h, i and 7' and nuts 13, secured upon said guide rods, normally serve to maintain the auxiliary tool-head elevated but permit it to be depressed by downward movement of the main spindlel.

Within the auxiliary head X there is journaled a plurality of tool spindles 14, each adapted to carry a suitable tool t. Rotation is transmitted to the spindles 14 from the main spindle l by a suitable gear train designated generally as Thus rotation and translation of the main spindle will effect simultaneous rotation and translation of all of the tools 12. I

As shown in the drawings, (see full lines Fig. 2) the auxiliary tool spindles are arranged in a line normally parallel to the front face or" the arm A. One of the objects of this invention is to provide meansflfor drilling a plurality of parallel rows of holes in a work-piece without shifting the work-piece. This is effected, as shown in Fig. 2, by simultaneously drilling a first row of holes, then swinging the arm angularly about the column and then indexing the plate 8, and the multiple tool-head carried thereby, on the bracket 3 in the direction opposite to the movement of the arm, thereby to position the tools parallel to the row of previously drilled holes. This indexing of the auxiliary head may be effected by grasping the handle 15, carried by the plate 8, and swinging the plate about the axis of the spindle 1. When the series or holes are to be drilled at predetermined spaced intervals means may be provided for readily determining the amount of angular movement to be given to the plate to compensate for the angular movement of the arm, and to lock the plate in its adjusted position. This conveniently may comprise a spring-pressed lock-bolt 16, connected with the handle 15, and adapted to enter suitably spaced sockets 17 formed in the underside of the portion 4 of the bracket 3. It will be understood that where the plurality of series of holes are to be arranged in a straight line indicated by the dot-dash lines w in Fig. 2, the drill head will be shifted lengthwise of the arm A for each angular adjustment of the latter.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that I have provided an improved mount for multiple tool heads which readily permits of angular ad justment to compensate for angular movement of the arm of a radial drill.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal e ist of t is invention that oth- .ould be, and are intended to be, comprealency of the following claims.

l-laving thus r vealed this invention, I claim and d to secure the following comwments, or equivalents thereof, on: li atent .of the United States:- a drilling machine provided with a column; arm projecting radially therefrom and movable angularly thereabout, a main tool-head mounted on said arm and a main spindle rotatahly and translatably journaled in said toolhead a bracket removably secured to the lower end tool-head and having a hub afiordi a for said spindle, said bracket also provided with a plurality of locating'devices; 4 rotatably journaled on said hub and supported on bracket and indexible about the axis of said spindle; an auxiliary multiple tool-head yieldingly supported on said plate and movable axially with said spindle; a plurality of auxiliary tool spindles journaled in said auxiliary tool-head; means to rotate said aux: iliary tool spindles from said main spindle;

to index said plate and auxiliary toolre ative to bracket; and detent means plate and cooperating with said i devices to lock said plate to said bracket in one of a plurality of predetermined angupositions.

2. In a drilling machine provided with a column; an arm projecting radially therefrom and. movable angularly thereabout; a main toolmounted on said arm and a main spindle rotatably and translatably journaled in said toolhead; a bracket secured to the lower end of said tool head, a plate rotatably journaled on said bracket and indexilole about the axis of said spindle a plurality of vertically arranged guide rods supported by said plate; an auxiliary multiple tool-head slidingly mounted on said guide reds and movable axially with said spindles; yielding means tending to maintain said auxiliary tool-head elevated; a plurality of auxiliary tool spindles journaled in said auxiliary toolhead; means to rotate said auxiliary tool spindies main spindle; and means to index said plate and auxiliary tool-head relative to bracket.

3. In a drilling machine provided with a col-- man; an arm projecting radially therefrom and movable angularly thereabout, a main tool-head on arm and a main spindle rotatably and translatably journaled in said toolhead; a bracket secured to the lower end of said tool-head and comprising a central hub affording a bearing for said spindle and outwardly projecting portions formed with arcuate bearing surfaces, said eracket also being provided with a plurality of spaced sockets; a plate journaled on said hub d supported on said bearing surfaces and indexi. e about the axis of said spindle; an auxiliary multiple tool-head slidingly supported by said plate and movable axially with said spindle; a plurality of auxiliary tool spindles journaled in said auxiliary tool-head; means to rotate'said auxiliary tool spindles from said main spindle; means to index said plate and auxiliary tool-head relative to said bracket, and a manually actuable spring-pressed plunger carried by said plate and adapted selectively to engage said sockets to hold said plate and auxiliary toolhead in their various adjusted positions.

4. In combination with a conventional radial drill having a column, an arm translatably mounted thereon, and a main tool-head translatably mounted on said arm and provided with a rotatable and translatable main spindle; a completely organized unitary device removably secured upon the lower end of said main toolhead, said device comprising a bracket remov- 

